"Supergirl" and "Arrow" Stars Release Statements After Producer Was Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Warner Bros. suspended producer Andrew Kreisberg last Friday.

The CW producer Andrew Kreisberg was suspended by the network after multiple employees accused him of sexual harassment, Variety reported on Friday. Kreisberg was executive producer of shows that included Supergirl and Arrow, and now stars of both shows have released statements condemning sexual misconduct.

"I am a woman who leads a show that supports equality and feminism, empowerment, and fighting for what is right," Supergirl star Melissa Benoist said in a statement she tweeted on Sunday. "I have always tried to conduct myself this way personally, as well. Sadly, the show and my career are a part of an industry that doesn't always mirror these sentiments. This is heartbreaking, and at times makes me feel helpless."

Melissa continued by stressing that "lasting change" is possible, adding that sexual harassment victims should always be heard. "And when people commit crimes or harass others they should always be held accountable — no matter what industry they work in or how much power they wield," she wrote. She signed off with a vow to continue speaking up against harassment. "So this week, I’ll head back to work on Supergirl even more committed to being part of changing the norm by listening when people speak up, and refusing to accept an environment that is anything less than a safe, respectful and collaborative space," she wrote.

Emily Bett Rickards, who plays Felicity Smoak on Arrow, also tweeted a statement on Sunday, focusing on the bravery of those who speak out against their harassers.

"To the men who committed harassment, who perpetuated rape culture, who turn a 'blind eye,' and complain about 'reverse sexism': you are week and complicit," she wrote. "To the women who found the strength to speak up. To the women who supported one another and to the women finding their voice: You can. You are heroines."

Neither actress mentioned Kreisberg by name or addressed any specific allegations.

Kreisberg was suspended by Warner Bros. TV after allegations that he had sexually harassed an undisclosed number of people over the course of a few years, Variety reported last Friday. Nineteen unnamed sources who informed Variety were former or current employees on CW shows who spoke anonymously and never reported Kreisberg to HR out of fear of retaliation, according to Variety.

The alleged incidents include requesting massages, touching and kissing people without asking, making sexualized comments, and, in one instance, showing a topless video of a woman coming in later for an audition to a male employee. Several women said the environment got so "toxic" and hostile that they would leave the room as soon as the producer entered.

According to Variety, the network is currently investigating these claims. Kreisberg denies all allegations, telling Variety, “I have made comments on women’s appearances and clothes in my capacity as an executive producer, but they were not sexualized." Warner Bros. TV Group made a statement to CNN, saying, “We have suspended Mr. Kreisberg and are conducting an internal investigation. We take all allegations of misconduct extremely seriously, and are committed to creating a safe working environment for our employees and everyone involved in our productions.”